(i) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to novel hair cosmetic compositions, and more specifically to hair cosmetic compositions, such as hair rinse compositions, hair conditioners, hair treatment compositions, hair creams, styling lotions, styling mousses, conditioning mooses, hair spray compositions or the like, comprising branched type alkyl quaternary ammonium salts and imparting little oily appearance and feeling, smoothness, softness and antistaticity to the hair.
(ii) Description of the Prior Art
Hair cosmetic compositions containing, as principal effective components, di(linear long-chain alkyl) quaternary ammonium salts in which the two long-chain alkyl groups are linear, such as distearyldimethylammonium chloride have heretofore been used.
Of these, hair rinse compositions are intended to impart softness, smoothness, antistaticity and the like to the hair. Sole use of a di(linear long-chain alkyl) quaternary ammonium salt cannot achieve sufficient effects in softness and smoothness. With a view toward improving these drawbacks, it has conventionally been a routine practice to incorporate oils and fats such as higher alcohol, glyceride or liquid paraffin.
Mono- or di(linear long-chain alkyl) quaternary ammonium salts have also been employed in hair creams, styling compositions and the like, in each of which oils and fats or resin is contained as its principal component, so as to impart softness, smoothness, antistaticity and the like.
By the way, di(linear straight-chain alkyl) quaternary ammonium salts do not have any ability to stably emulsify or disperse oils and fats in an amount sufficient to exhibit its effects. It has thus been attempted to incorporate a mono(linear long-chain alkyl) quaternary ammonium salt or non-ionic surface active agent having high hydrophilicity for obtaining a stable emulsion or dispersion system from an emulsion system such as cream rinse composition or the like. However, these compounds having high hydrophilicity reduce the performances of hair rinse significantly. The prior art compositions are hence accompanied by a drawback that the inherent effects of hair rinse of quaternary ammonium salts, oils and fats, cannot be fully exhibited.
Furthermore, conventional hair cosmetic compositions containing oils and fats or resins as their principal components were accompanied by a problem that conventional mono- or di(linear long-chain alkyl) quaternary ammonium salts were not able to exhibit their effects fully upon imparting softness, smoothness, antistaticity, etc.
It has thus been desired to develop a hair cosmetic composition which is excellent in imparting softness, smoothness and antistaticity even when oils and fats are present in a large amount and which does not leave oily appearance or feeling.